A Hero's Return
by TwiliCuckoo
Summary: Link returns to Ordon after fighting Ganondorf. But what he is welcomed to was not what he was expecting. -Minor Twilight Princess spoilers, One Shot, implied LinkxIlia. Not too over the top with the shipping though, just some affection.-


Link was exhausted. He had just finished his battle with Ganondorf and had seen Midna leave for the Twilight Realm. A lot had happened in his adventure, he was happy to finally return to Ordon. To play with the kids and herd goats, but he knew his life would never return to normal after these events. But, he would not worry about that now. He planned on a happy return to Ordon, but that was not the case.

As he was riding into Ordon, he heard a scream. Worried, he made Epona quicken her pace until he saw what was happening in the village. Cloaked figures, around fifteen in total, were surrounding the villagers. Rusl had his blade drawn, as did Colin. Normally, Link would have smiled at Colin's bravery, but now was not the time.

"Where is he?!" One growled. "Tell me and no one will be harmed."

"We don't know!" Uli whimpered, protecting her baby bump. "Please don't hurt him!"

"What we do with him is none of your business." He spat. "Now, tell me where the hero is."

"I'm here." Link spoke, dismounting Epona and drawing his blade. The villagers gasped when they saw Link, not expecting him to turn up.

"Aw, look. The little hero protecting his loved ones." He began, circling Link. "Well tell me _hero, _what are you going to do now?"

Link increased his grip on his blade. "This."

Link kicked the man who had been circling him down and charged to the other clocked figures, cutting them down with ease. Rusl smiled, looked at Colin, and nodded. They began slising down the figures with Link until they were all sprawled out on the floor, bleeding. The other villagers had retreated to a safe distance away from the action.

"Are they all… dead?" Asked Colin.

Link shook his head. "Not yet."

He waked over to the one that he had kicked down, and watched him get up.

"Heh, well done hero. It seems you have some fight still in you."

"Who are you and what do you want with me!" Yelled Link.

"You killed our king."

"Ganondorf?"

"No. The rightful ruler of the Twilight Realm"

"Zant" Link hissed.

"Yes. You and that little _imp_ cut him down. Now she rules over the Twilight."

"She is the rightful ruler of the Twilight! Zant was a fake."

"A _fake?!_ How dare you."

The hooded man stepped closer to Link and pulled something out of his pocket. It was a black stone with swirling orange patterns pulsing over it. Link's eyes widened.

"How did you get that?"

The figure chuckled. "Some say we move like shadows of the night. It is easy for us to sneak past defences and take things unnoticed."

The man took a step back and kicked Link's sword hand, causing him to drop the holy blade. He took his chance to pounce onto the hero and force the stone into his neck.

Link screamed as the transformation took place. Villagers watched wide eyed as Link fell onto his hands and knees. The man laughed manically. In a few seconds, Link was no longer there, but a beast of twilight.

"Link?" Rusl asked. Link didn't look at him, he just kept his eyes on the man.

"Heh heh. Now they know your secret. That's what you get for killing our king, and leaving us stranded in this light world."

Link growled, and then pounced onto the man. He yelped out in surprise. Placing a clawed paw on his throat, Link looked back at the Master Sword, then at Rusl. Even though he was trying to take in what was happening, he got what the wolf was trying to tell him. Rusl ran over to the sword and tossed it at Link. When the hilt came on impact with the wolf's fur, there was a bright light. Once it had cleared, they could see Link pinning down the man with his feet and him pointing his sword at the man's neck.

"This is not the end, hero. This is not the end"

Link raised his sword and pushed it down on the man's neck, ending his life. Many of the town's people had to look away from this bloodshed. Link pulled the sword out of the figure's neck, causing blood to spill over his shoes. As Link stepped off the man, he began to disintegrate. Looking back at the other men, they were gone too. As quick as the wind. Link bent down and picked up the shadow crystal. After examining its swirling, orange patterns, he put it back in his pouch.

"Link?"

The hero turned around to see a shocked Colin walking toward him.

"Are you that wolf?"

Link looked down at his blood soaked shoes, and nodded.

"I'm sorry for not telling you. I'm sorry for keeping it from you. I'm sorry that I'm a monster."

Link looked into Colin's eyes. Colin shook his head.

"You're not a monster, Link. You're a hero!"

Link smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You were very courageous back there."

"Really?"

"Really."

Rusl walked up to Link and they looked into each other's eyes. Link saw upset, betrayal, and confusion in Rusl's eyes. Rusl saw fear, regret, and worry in Link's.

"I'm so sorry Rusl. I'm sorry. I-"

"Thank you, Link, for coming when you did."

A small smile appeared on Link's lips.

"But can I talk to you?"

"Sure."

"In private" Rusl finished, looking over to Colin and the rest of the villagers.

Link nodded. "Okay"

Sheathing his sword, he followed Rusl to Ordon spring. This spring bought back so many memories to Link. He remembered washing down Epona here with Ilia, playing with the children, watching the sun set with Rusl, being knocked out by King Bublin and letting him take away Colin and Ilia. Sighing, Link looked at Rusl, who was gesturing him to sit with him on the soft grass in front of the spring. Link sat down next to Rusl on the grass.

"Can you transform at free will?"

Rusl never thought that he would be talking to Link about such things; it seemed almost unreal that Link got turned into a wolf. Link didn't particularly like taking about it either.

"Yes"

"Can you, well…"

"Transform for you?"

"Yes"

"…Okay"

Link stood up and fished through his pouch where he put the shadow crystal. He took it out slowly, being careful not to touch the points. He took a step back, and pressed the crystal into his arm. Shadow engulfed Link as he tried not to yell. The transformation was a painful process. His body seemed to be getting used to it. When the wave of shadow disappeared, a wolf stood there. Now he was closer, Rusl could examine Link's other form in detail. He was larger than most wolves Rusl had seen. There was a broken chain around one paw and he still had his blue earrings. His black coat was decorated with white patterns, and he still had his sapphire blue eyes.

"Link, is that you?"

The wolf, Link, nodded, before turning back into a human. Rusl looked very dazed from the whole experience; Link extended a hand to help him off of the ground. Once up, Rusl rubbed the back of his head.

"That was, something."

"Yeah. Are you okay?"

"Just a bit dazed. That's all."

"It was worse when I first transformed. The pain was intense. I thought I would be stuck like that forever."

"When you first transformed? When was that?"

Link smiled. "I think the whole town has the right to know." He stared walking, but stopped and looked behind at Rusl, serious expression on his face.  
"But it does not leave this village, understand?"

Rusl nodded.

"Good. I just don't want all of Hyrule knowing about my… other side."

"I understand."

Once they got back to the village, Link was bombarded with questions from the children. Things like:

"Are you okay?"

"What happened back there?"

"You're really a wolf? Cool!"

"Did you save the princess and kill the bad guys?"

"Did you kill all of those guys like the creepy guys said?"

"Who is Zant? What is the Twilight Realm?"

And so on in that manner until their parents pulled them away. Link stepped forward and began speaking.

"I believe all of you have the right to know what happened back there with those men. But you can't tell anyone what I am about to tell you, okay?"

They all nodded.

"Mayor Bo? Is it okay if we use your house for this?"

"Of course, Link. Everyone inside!"

Once everyone was inside and seated, Link told them about his adventure. From when he was dragged into the twilight, to the Ganondorf battle, and everything in between. When he was done, everyone was shocked. They had never expected that Link had done such amazing things, but they believed all of it. While everyone was talking about the story, Link snuck outside. He needed to be away from it all. Little did he know that Ilia had followed him outside. The sun was beginning to set, and she found Link sitting by the stream watching the sun sink below the horizon. Ilia sat beside him and placed a hand on his grubby shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just exhausted."

"Well then, let's get you to bed."

They began walking back to his house. By the time they were there, the sun had just sunk below the horizon.

"Are you okay to go in from here?"

"Yeah. Thank you Ilia."

"No problem." She turned around to go, but she turned back and planted a kiss on Link's cheek, causing him to blush.

"Night Ilia."

"Goodnight Link." He began to climb up the ladder to his house.

"Oh, and you might want to have a wash, Link. You smell of dirt and blood."

Link could only grin back.


End file.
